MSI touts the S30 ultrathin

MSI has been in the notebook game for a long time now, yet many of its machines look remarkably similar.

Interestingly, the company recently unveiled a new ultrathin notebook that looks a lot like an Intel ultrabook, but doesn't quite meet the specifications. Enter the the ultrathin MSI S30.

The notebook features an Intel Core i3 Ivy Bridge processor, runs Microsoft Windows 8 and boasts a 13.3-inch display has a resolution of 1366 x 768. MSI says that the machine runs 1333 MHz RAM, but doesn't say exactly how much RAM the computer will be fitted with. I would assume that means there will be several options for RAM, with my money on at least 4 GB of memory.

Other features include a 500 GB hard drive or an optional 64 GB SSD. The machine also offers a number of connectivity options, including a single USB 2.0 port, a single USB 3.0 port, a SD card slot, integrated Ethernet, and HDMI output, a VGA output, and 3.5 mm microphone and headphone port.

The notebook is 22.8 mm thick and weighs in at 1.4 kg. The S30 is a mere 4.8 mm too thick to be called an ultrabook. Considering ultrabooks tend to be expensive machines, I hope that additional 4.8 mm of girth means this will be cheaper than your typical ultrabook. As of now, there is no official word on pricing or availability.

The machine is listed on MSI's website so hopefully official pricing and availability details will be coming soon. Ultrabooknews.com bets we're looking at a machine that will sell for around $500.